FYI - We won!

It gets me through

Almost a whole year ago this cartoon was featured in our local newspaper and I LOVED it. I've been carrying it around in my briefcase since then and turn to it when I need comfort - you know, on those days where I find boogers smeared on my shoulder, or a pair of panties sticking out of the leg of my pants because of the static cling from the dryer, or when I know my hair is dirty, ugly, and poorly styled because I decided that I was better off with 15 more minutes of sleep instead of spending 15 extra minutes washing and drying my hair that morning. Please tell me you have those days too. Well even if you don't, those are the days I look at this cartoon and realize I am far from alone in this wonderful, painful, fantastic plight called motherhood. Enjoy, fellow mothers - we're not alone.



Sorry this is so small, but you can click to enlarge, or just see the original at the following website: pajamadiaries.com

Unfortunately, I'm still in the "Back to Work Barbie" phase, but I swear I'm going to be "Soccer Mom Barbie" someday!

Ahh, the joy of life!

Well, thank you to all the comments about reading the blog. Good to know I'm not talking to myself and haven't scared anyone away with the boring trial talk. Jury is still out, by the way. I've been just rolling out of bed late, pulling on some jeans and a sweatshirt and dropping Luke off at school the past two mornings. Then I stroll back home and have a cup of coffee and play with the other two a bit before beginning the day.

Today, I actually spent all morning with the family. I took Luke to school, took Evie and George to school an hour later, then had another cup of coffee. Around 10, I went to Chickfila and picked up a kids meal for Luke and a chicken wrap for myself and went to Luke's school to join him for lunch. He was somewhat excited, but I have to admit that he was less excited than I thought he would be. And he didn't even eat the lunch I brought him, but rather opted for the pb&j that he eats every freakin' day. Whatever. Lunch, by the way, is at 10:25 a.m. so it was really more like brunch and my stomach protested at the food. After that, I headed back to the house to FINALLY take a shower and now I'm back at work. Yick.

Again, another boring post, but I'm just so thrilled to see my family again. The worst part of all this is how I can't convince Evie that I'm not going anywhere when I get home. Yesterday, I got home at 5 p.m. and started making dinner. She kept asking me questions like, "What are you doing here?" and "Are you going to go to the store now?" and "When are you leaving?" It was really quite sad and I had to keep assuring her that I wasn't going anywhere and that I was home to stay. Poor baby girl.

Update on George - he's like one of those diaper commercials where you see the baby crawling everywhere. He's adorable, but into everything and anxious to get to the stairs. I'm hoping to head back home again today very early. It's going to be a great month!

Damn, I'm boring!

I didn't realize how boring I am until I went back and looked at my blog. Seriously, who reads this? It is the most boring crap ever written. I swear my life will get more interesting soon - - or maybe not.

When I took Luke to school this morning I tried to get a look at his little "girl friend" named Emma. I was looking for a girl with a red eye. No luck. I didn't see any such girl. There are some super cute girls in his class though and maybe one of them is my future daughter-in-law!

Back to Normal

Life is good. Sitting at the courthouse waiting on a verdict. Got to take Luke to school this morning and he was so excited to see me. Then I spent a little time playing with Evie and George. I am looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule.

The biggest smile . . .

is on my face right now because TODAY is the LAST DAY of Trial!!!! Whoo hoo!!!!! Closing arguments are this morning and I'm on my way to watch the fireworks. I promise to catch everyone up on the kids' antics soon!

MIA

I'm at the courthouse all day. Hopefully, almost done. So frickin' tired.

Wish I could be doing this.

Peaceful

There is a park just down the street from our house and in the spring it is absolutely breathtaking when everything is green and wet. I just love the look of it and I always tell myself I need to stop and take pictures. It is so serene and beautiful.

Normally, by this time of year, the park has turned brown/yellow because it is hot and there is no rain. This year, we've had more than our fair share (not that I'm complaining - I love the rain) so the park and all its green has been revived. It is beautiful - peaceful. The other evening I was driving home (while it was still light outside) and the park looked like a big tuft of wet moss and I just had to take a picture or two so I pulled over and took these with my phone. The quality isn't great, but you get the picture of how peaceful, quiet, and comforting it feels.

God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, "Ah!"
- Joseph Campbell

I am the heat of your hearth, the shade screening you from the sun; I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table; I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead; the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin. I am the gift of God and the friend of man.
- Author Unknown

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon
men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that
emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and
renews a weary spirit.
- Robert Louis Stevenson

In the woods we return to reason and faith.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Four Years of Pink

Dear Evie,

Happy Birthday to you, my darling Evie. Four years ago you had just arrived in this world, and I couldn't have been happier to hold a baby girl in my arms. I love you.

You are beautiful inside and out. My sweet, sweet angel. I cherish you and all your hugs and kisses. I love that you miss me, even when I'm only gone for a couple hours. I love that you snuggle up under the covers when I put you to bed. I love that you love girly things -- princesses, Barbies, cooking, dresses, babies, make up. I love that you like to help me get ready in the morning. I love that you love me, and I love that I get to be a part of your life. God has truly blessed our family with the gift of a beautiful daughter named Evelyn. I pray that all your years will be filled with laughter, health, the joy of living, awe for the world around you, and the unfailing love of your family. We truly adore you.

Love, Mommy

Newborn

Six Months

One Year Old

Eighteen Months

Two Years Old

(and yes, she has chocolate on her face)

Two and a Half

Three Years Old

For the rest of you, here are pictures of Evie's little party at school today. I was able to sneak away from the office just long enough to pick up some strawberry thumbprint cookies and have lunch with Evie at school. She was surprised to see me.

TODAY

Here are some pictures of Evie not watching Luke's soccer game this weekend with another soccer sister (Kate). They looked precious. I think Luke's team scored a goal while I was taking these pictures.

Luke and Emma sitting in a tree . . .

Yup, that's right my friends, Luke has a little girlfriend. Now, let me clarify that he and she are not boyfriend and girlfriend, but there is definitely a little romance going on even if it is one sided. So, I'll let you guess who is in love with whom. Got an idea in your head? Okay, Luke is not in love, but Emma is. Cute, cute, cute, and as misplaced as this may be, it also makes me proud and relieved that my son isn't viewed as the smelly kid in class (even though he probably is the smelly kid in class).

Daily, Lindsey and I are desperate to hear more about Luke's life as a Kindergartener. He's just like a teenager sometimes and doesn't want to talk about himself or his social life. I ask all the time (at least the entire 15 minutes a day when I'm home) what he is learning and who his friends are. He is evasive and sometimes just says, "I don't know." I don't think he's already fallen in with the druggies, but I guess you never can tell. Anyhow, he recently allayed our curiosity by revealing some of his daily activities.

Me, "Luke do you play on the playground?"

Luke, "Yes."

Me, "Who do you play with?"

Luke, "My friend Dane." I lift my eyebrows. I've never met Dane, never heard of him, know nothing about him except that he would make a great character in a soap opera or a romance novel strictly because he has a cool name.

Me, "That's great! Is Dane in your class?"

Luke, "Yes."

Me, "What do you two play while you're at recess?"

Luke, "We play 'Secret Agent'!"

Me, in an attempt to fawn over his creativity and reflect his excitement, "That's sounds so fun! What do you do when you play Secret Agent?"

Luke, "We run around the playground."

Me, "Oh, yeah?"

Luke, "Well, we have to run away from Emma."

Me, "Why are you running away from Emma?" You notice, that it is very much a strained effort of pulling teeth to fully understand what is happening in his life. Just give me some freakin' details, kid!

Luke, "She chases us."

Me, [sigh] "Why does she chase you?"

Luke responded, as nonchalant as Brad Pitt greeting a bunch of adoring fans, "Oh, she loves me."

Me, with wide eyes, "What?!"

Luke, "She loves me. She always chases me and tells me she loves me. Even when I'm far away she does this." [He held up his right hand and made the hand sign for "I love you."] "She does it in class too."

I looked at him with wonder in my eyes, "Oh my! I guess she really likes you."

Luke, "Yeah. She loves me."

Me, "Is she pretty?"

Luke, "Sometimes."

Me, "Sometimes?! How can she just be pretty sometimes?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know." Then he changed the subject, "Can we go play cars?"

Then last night, we were talking about it again and we asked if she is pretty. He responded, "No, she has a red eye."

I crinkled my nose, "A red eye? What? I'm not sure I believe you. Where is it red?"

Luke made a circle his thumb and forefinger and put it up to his right eye. "It's red all around like this."

I groaned and laughed at the same time, "She has a black eye? Oh good heavens!"

Luke, "No mom, it's red."

Me, "Fine, it's red. Well, is she your girlfriend?"

Luke looked at me very seriously and emphatically stated, "No. She is not my girlfriend."

Me, "Ohhh kay hay, then . . ."

Apparently, I should be pleased by this reaction, because Lindsey said he actually burst into tears when she asked him the same thing on the way home from school. Then she had to spend five minutes apologizing for upsetting him with the question. (she's such a sucker for their tears).

And that is all I know about Ms. Emma B, the young lady who is not my son's girlfriend. But seriously, who can blame the girl for falling in love with this:

Lindsey's life with us

People ask us about Lindsey ALL - THE - TIME. And I don't mind in the least, because I love to talk about how great she is and how much we all love her. She really is fabulous despite the fact that she doesn't like cheese. (We really are holding that against her.) So, I got to take a look at all the pictures she has taken in the two months that she has been here as she documents her "Life with the Crazies." (just kidding she says our last name). Heaven help me if she decides to write a book akin to "The Nanny Diaries" - which she bought last week to read. I told her that book would make us look like the most sane, down-to-earth people and make her appreciate that she came to live with us instead of someone else. We'll see if she thinks the same thing. Anyhoo, Lindsey is fabulous and we're still so excited that she's here, even though I'm at work most of the time these days while she's raising my precious children. I've promised her that it isn't really like this (with me working 15 hours a day), but I'm not sure she believes me.

Back to the reason for this post, she has taken a ton of pictures (mostly of George because he's so freakin' cute) and I wanted to post some on the blog. There are so many, that I'll just have to post a few every now and then, but I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I just adore my little ragamuffins!










They look a little intense in this picture, except for Evie and her outrageously long tongue.

Lunchtime reading

Here's something that might send a shock to your sensibilities and your funny bone at the same time. A perfect line up children whose parents let them watch the Hangover.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/the-7-most-inappropriate_n_286223.html

Hope you enjoy it.

Movie Quote 41

Having pie for breakfast - not a healthy choice, but the only thing available in the office since we celebrated September birthdays yesterday. Pie and coffee - yum!

Movie quote for you today. Enjoy!

Oh and it is LOVELY. You know, you're really quite a decorator. It's amazing what you've done with such a modest budget. I like that boulder. That is a NICE boulder.

Chuck and I quote this all the time for some reason. I'm not sure why, but we find many occasions to say, "That's a NICE boulder." Weird, right?

Picture update!

9 Months old. Crawling, no teeth, runny nose occasionally, Favorite toy: spoon and stethoscope, has been described as "portly", loves his toes and his au pair, most popular boy at school, can feed himself, pulling himself up, not walking, constantly on the look out for small toys that he can choke on or bits of paper, loves magazines, doesn't understand the purpose of pets, tired of receiving hugs, pats, kisses, and petting from his sister.

A picture of Luke, because he insisted.



Evie is very proud of her muscles.
She can totally kick her big brother's ass.


And George, crawling without hesitation . . .

Away from Mommy . . .

Further away from Mommy . . .

Oh, look, a door . . .

Maybe I can bust my way out of this joint . . .

No, no George, they won't let us leave . . .


Damn! Maybe I'll just find a toy . . .

I could get there faster if my knees weren't chapped
and my pants weren't coming off . . .


Whoa! Lost my balance for a second . . .

Ah ha! I'm almost there!

That's all for today, folks!

Crappy Ass Camera

Here's the deal: I didn't bring a camera, I didn't bring my iphone, and Chuck's phone clearly sucks at taking pictures. Also, the whole point of getting pictures of the dress was so you could actually see the dress, but Chuck never actually took a full-length picture of my damn dress, so this is what I've got - crappy pictures of me in a gorgeous dress, but you can't see the dress. Take my work for it - it was fab! Note: the theme was "A Night in Havana" hence the cigar - not lit.